picrad

The Fall is a difficult movie to assess; I watched it yesterday and thought it a masterpiece. However, the main reason why I thought that is the scenes in which various people tell what they think about the Vietnam war. The director shows both people who are supporting it and against it. And the striking thing is how extraordinarily similar what they are saying are to the way people talk about the Iraq war. So I think it's masterpiece for today because it's highly relevant.

The movie itself works to prove the phrase "history repeats itself". Especially, after watching an elderly lady talk passionately about why the war is only about profits, I couldn't hold my tears back. Because at that moment, I understood that we failed those people who fought against the same things 40 years back.

However, I also can see why somebody might think this film is a pretentious piece of stick job. As some scenes in between feels very much like filler material, thus the bloated running time. The Italian lady takes much of the flak; but at least she is very pretty to look at. But pay attention to one sequence where Whitehead is talking about Americans and New York, all the while the very sexy Italian lady is strutting seductively on screen. I think it achieves the director's aim of differentiating Word and Image.

Also the Colombia University scenes are very revelatory and you just can't look at all that bright young people, fighting - albeit aimlessly - for something they believe in, on screen and don't feel a pang of guilt and shame today.

This is a brilliant movie. It's not a bloated Hollywood concoction, derived of any original idea or emotion. It tells its story and ends, does not linger endlessly and unnecessarily. It revolves around a single bright idea, which it carries and improves through its length. The fact that it's shot in B/W only adds to the effect, making it more gritty and realistic. It also enhances the expressions of characters, making them more artistic.

The casting is perfect as well, in my opinion. At times, I got the feeling that I'm watching real people and not actors. Great soundtrack which doesn't convolute every scene as silence plays a big role in the movie, building the tension.

This movie just reminds what cinema is really about; why films move people and make them feel things. It's an absolute treat.

Lastly, this movie has the single best sequence I saw in a movie for a long time. It's raw,gripping and nerve racking. Also, pay attention to sounds and looks, which at times tells a whole sentence. Do not watch any trailers or read any detailed reviews on this film to feel the full effect.

Kahpe Bizans is the second film of the director Gani Müjde. It is basically a 'ZAZ team' type movie. It makes fun of the old Turkish films about national heroes like Karaoglan. And it simply excels in this. Good acting, lots of ingenuously written dialogues, best editing since the Eskiya and tons of clever jokes make Kahpe Bizans another milestone in Turkish film industry. I said another because Gani Müjde's other film Arabesk was also a masterpiece of the same kind. So I recommend you Kahpe Bizans as a good example of Turkish humor.